Journal Article

Effects of a land and aquatic exercise-based program on pain, mobility and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Pastilha, Tiago, Monteiro, Diogo, Silva, Fernanda M., Borges, Joana, Jacinto, Miguel, Duarte-Mendes, Pedro

2025

Overview

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a disease with significant functional, emotional and social impact. Several interventions are proposed for its management and exercise is one of main, land-based or water-based. This study describes a randomized controlled trial that will analyze the effect of a combined aquatic and land-based exercise program compared to an aquatic-based program on pain, functional incapacity and quality of life in adults with CLBP. Additionally, it will analyze the effects of exercise cessation in the same outcomes. A blind randomized controlled trial will be developed with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Around 30 adults with mechanical CLBP will be randomly allocated in two groups. The experimental group (ALG) will complete an aquatic and land-based exercise program and control group (AG) will carry out only an aquatic program, both for 8 weeks. Participants will be assessed with Visual Analogue Scale, Oswestry Disability Index, Short-Form 36, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-13 and Modified-Modified Schober Test, collected at baseline (M0), after 8 weeks (M1) and 4 weeks after the end of the intervention (M2). This study may provide a relevant contribution to understand the potential effect of a combined land and aquatic exercise program on pain, functional disability, fear of movement, quality of life and lumbar mobility. The results may provide important information for CLBP management. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number: NCT06641570; date of registration: October 14, 2024).

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adult / Adults / Back pain / Backache / Biology and Life Sciences / Care and treatment / Chronic illnesses / Chronic pain / Chronic Pain - physiopathology / Chronic Pain - therapy / Clinical trials / Exercise / Exercise therapy / Exercise Therapy - methods / Female / Health aspects / Humans / Hydrotherapy / Intervention / Low back pain / Low Back Pain - physiopathology / Low Back Pain - therapy / Male / Medicine and Health Sciences / Middle Aged / Mobility / Pain / Pain Measurement / Physical fitness / Quality of Life / Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Research and Analysis Methods / Social impact / Study Protocol / Systematic review / Testing / Treatment Outcome